Your First Triathlon

I bought two books that were aimed at first-time Triathlon entrants, and while this book might have fewer diagrams or photos, it is by far the better of the two books. I would categorize this as more of a "how-to" book than a diary, and while you might want to read some other biographical accounts of first-timers, make sure you read this so you know what you should be doing to get ready! The author writes in very clear and precise language, and you feel that you are very well prepared to train using his advice. I particularly enjoyed the nutrition information which was much clearer than in the "other" book.

This book was absolutely invaluable in getting myself ready for my first triathlon. The book went into every detail to expect in getting ready for and running in your first tri. I would definately recommend this book to anyone interested in challenging themselves to a great sport.

I did my first triathlon (sprint distance) in September after three months training, and I was lucky enough to have found this book towards the beginning of my training. Needless to say I am hooked and can't wait to do another one!!! The book did an amazing job of preparing me by arming me with the information I needed to train properly, learn new sports (I had never biked or swam seriously before), eat right, and avoid injury, and yet avoided getting too "hard core" (when you do your first triathlon you keep wondering whether or not you're crazy). Joe keeps it manageable. There is a scary overwhelmed feeling you can get when you start reading about some of the crazy training schedules and techniques out there -- and he really clears through all that and gets to the essentials you need to know to make it through your training and cross the finish line. For example, his race day prep chapter really helped me visualize what to expect on the big day. Also, I really liked his approach to gear -- you can really get sucked into buying a bunch of stuff -- and he emphasizes ways to work with stuff you already have (ex: your old mountain bike) until you're more experienced and can better select the right gear to invest in. Overall, I really liked his fun-first emphasis, while providing what is clearly well-researched and high quality information. Two thumbs up!

I found this book a valuable help for who is new to Triathlon and also for starting from scratch both running and cycling (NOT for swimming). Maybe too much enphasis on nutrition, but averall it's a very practical and usful book. Good value for your money.

This is not the "athlete's bible" and this is not the resource for Ironman. Therefore the author accomplished his mission : to provide the newbies with the most information available to begin a new life as triathlete. Pay attention i said a new life, that's it. It's not a list of training plans or a generic line to follow, it's the first step to change your life with fun. Really recommended.